Network Diagnostic Systems and Methods for Collecting Data From Network Nodes

Abstract

A system may comprise a network diagnostic device. The network diagnostic device may be configured to instantiate objects of data collection classes. The data collection classes may be configured to collect data from nodes of a network. The data collection classes may, for instance, inherit an interface object from an ancestor data collection class, and the interface object may be configured to use a protocol to collect data from nodes of a network. The network diagnostic device may be configured to automatically detect a node type associated with a node of a network. The network diagnostic device may also be configured to instantiate a node-specific data collection object associated with the detected node type. The node-specific data collection object may be configured to collect data from nodes of the detected node type at intervals less than or equal to fifteen seconds.

1 . A system comprising:
 a network diagnostic device configured to instantiate objects of any of a plurality of data collection classes, the plurality of data collection classes inheriting an interface object from an ancestor data collection class, the interface object configured to use a first protocol to collect data from nodes of a network, the first plurality of a data collection classes comprising:
 a first node-specific data collection class configured to use the inherited interface object to collect data from nodes of a first node type; and 
 a second node-specific data collection class configured to use the inherited interface object to collect data from nodes of a second node type. 
   
   
   
       2 . The system as in  claim 1 , wherein the first node-specific data collection class comprises a first switch-specific data collection class configured to use the inherited interface object to collect data from switches of a first switch type; and
 wherein the second node-specific data collection class comprises a second switch-specific data collection class configured to use the inherited interface object to collect data from switches of a second switch type.   
   
   
       3 . The system as in  claim 1 , wherein the first node-specific data collection class comprises a first switch-specific data collection class configured to use the inherited interface object to collect data from switches of a first switch type; and
 wherein the second node-specific data collection class comprises a first storage-device-specific data collection class configured to use the inherited interface object to collect data from storage devices of a first storage device type.   
   
   
       4 . The system as in  claim 1 , wherein the first node-specific data collection class comprises a first storage-device-specific data collection class configured to use the inherited interface object to collect data from storage devices of a first storage device type; and
 wherein the second node-specific data collection class comprises a second storage-device-specific data collection class configured to use the inherited interface object to collect data from storage devices of a second storage device type.   
   
   
       5 . The system as in  claim 1 , wherein the first protocol is SNMP. 
   
   
       6 . The system as in  claim 1 , wherein the first node-specific data collection class is configured to use the inherited interface object to collect performance data and/or configuration data from nodes of the first node type; and wherein the second node-specific data collection class is configured to use the inherited interface object to collect performance data and/or configuration data from nodes of the second node type. 
   
   
       7 . The system as in  claim 1 , wherein the first node-specific data collection class is configured to use the inherited interface object to periodically collect performance data and/or configuration data at intervals less than or equal to fifteen seconds; and wherein the second node-specific data collection class is configured to use the inherited interface object to periodically collect performance data and/or configuration data at intervals less than or equal to fifteen seconds. 
   
   
       8 . A system comprising:
 a network diagnostic device configured to automatically detect a node type associated with a node of a network and to instantiate a node-specific data collection object associated with the node type, the node-specific data collection object configured to collect data from nodes of the node type.   
   
   
       9 . The system as in  claim 8 , wherein the network diagnostic device is configured to automatically detect the node type associated with the node by:
 establishing a connection with the node;   receiving a plurality of characters from the node; and   using the received plurality of characters to identify a node type associated with the node.   
   
   
       10 . The system as in  claim 9 , wherein the received plurality of characters are configured to be displayed on a screen as at least part of a prompt. 
   
   
       11 . The system as in  claim 9 , wherein the received plurality of characters are configured to be displayed on a screen as at least part of a TELNET login prompt. 
   
   
       12 . The system as in  claim 8 , wherein the node-specific data collection object is configured to collect performance data and/or configuration data from nodes of the node type. 
   
   
       13 . The system as in  claim 8 , wherein the node-specific data collection object is configured to periodically collect performance data and/or configuration data at intervals less than or equal to fifteen seconds. 
   
   
       14 . The system as in  claim 8 , wherein the node is a switch; and wherein the node type is a switch type. 
   
   
       15 . A system comprising:
 a network diagnostic device configured to automatically detect a node type associated with a node of a network and to instantiate a node-specific data collection object associated with the node type, the node-specific data collection object configured to collect data from nodes of the node type at intervals less than or equal to fifteen seconds.